Ophthalmic lens



A. AMES, JRL, Er AL OPHTHALMIC LENS Filed May 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ADELBERT AMES JR. GORDON H. GLIDDON July 20, 1937 A; AMES, JR.. ET A.. 2,087,234

' i OPHTHALMI c` LENS Y Filed Maya?, *1955 2 sheets-sheet 2 I *.lNvENTo'R ADELE-sam' AMES .JEL

GORDON H. GLJDDON vide means for holding lensesforthe eyes where- Patented July 20, 1937 "UNITED 4sfrAl'Es.

i `2,087,234 i orrrripanimoLENS"y f Adelbert Ames, Jr..and Gordon H. Gliddon, Hanover, N. H., assignorsito trustees of Dartmouth if' College, Hanover, H., a corporation of New Application Mayer; 1935, serial No. 23,695 y `k f, zoiaims. '(oi. ssi-554i This invention relates to an improvement in lenses for the correction of size variations injthe ocular images or actualsight impressionsiof the formed on the retina of the eye, but also by the modifications imposed upon it by the anatomicalV properties and physiological processes by which this optical image is carried Y`to the higher brain centers. K y

` A principal object of the inventionis to,` proin all forms of magnification of the lens means beforethe eyes will be so balanced asa `composite magnication to equalize the ocular images or actual sight impressions of `thfeleyes without changing the required power of said lens means as patients dioptric or refractive errors.

required for the corrective prescriptionffor the" Another object of the invention is' to `provide a new and improved process for designingcony structing and mounting such lenses. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become `apparent from the `following description taken in conjunction with the accom- Apanyingdrawings.` "It will Abe apparent that many changes in the yarrangement of parts, details of construction'an'd orderof the steps ofthe process may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as setforth in the accompanying claims. It is, therefore, not desired` to limit the inventionI to the exact matters shown and described as a preferred forrnonly has been described by way of illustration. Referring to the drawings: Fig.`I is a front elevationof a pair of spectacles embodying the inventionr Fig. III isa diagrammatic plan view of the test means showing the cells for the trial test` lenses;`

Fig. IV is a diagrammatic plan viewof vsaid cells; `and 1 Fig. Vl is a plan View embodying the invention, the lensesbeing shown in crosssection and the said lensesibeingiequivaient to the trial test lenses.

These lenses are of the orderand for thepurposes of the lenses shown and described in United' States Patent #Number 1,933,578, lNovember, '7,

1933, but embody certainmodifcations*thereof and additions thereto, yas will be set "forth hereinafter.

These lenses embody the `entire refraction of the patient, including errors of` focus including It is determined not'only of a pair of spectacles` ".oorrection.

, astigmatism, muscle disturbances, as well as the correctionvfor size variations.

The eyes are refracted for these errors by the processes and instruments described in Patents No. 1,946,925Hof February 13, 1934 to Adelbert Ames, Jr.; No; 1,944,871 of January 3o, `1934 to Adelbert Ames, Jr. and Gordon Gliddon; and

co-pending` applications Serial Nos; 618,200;`

706,523 and l23,694 co-pending Yapplication, tiled on the` date of thisfapplication.

Until recently the refractivel corrections for` the eyes were limited to"correctionwfr focus, astigmatism and muscle disturbances'. f Correction for 1v focus was introduced into the lens` by spherical l lens surfaces, for, astigmatism. by 'cylindrical or torio Vlens surfaces', and for muscle disturbances by a prismatic surface ordecentrationof thelens,

`as well known" in prior art refractive lenses.

4Il there 'were focal and fastigmatic errors, ay f spherical surface was placed on one side anda cylindrical or torio surface, on the other, and

y where phoria or muscle trouble was present also, p the lenses were decentered to get the proper amount of prism power, as is well known.

Where variation in` ocularimage size is addedv to these .prior art errors, anew element is introduced. Size variation is corrected by magnification in conjunction with dioptric power. Now, it is clear that if the other refractive errors afore- ,mentioned are corrected, the added magnification must not disturb the power for their correction andon the other hand, the magnification due to words., a predetermined corrective magnification be added ywithout disturbing the dioptric power of the combination. f

In consideringmagnificationvfor equalizing the size variations we must take into accountthe total magnification of the lensesbefore both eyes and arrange it so thatthe composite result will be to equalize the sizevariations without changing the 'power ofthelens combinations. Magnification of a lens is a composite of the magnications due to power, its position before the eye and to its shape, i. e. thicknesses, separations, and surface curvatures. 1n our present invention we produce our size correction by a consideration and `a balancing of all components of the magnincationpresent in the comblnation-` It important` to bear inrnind that the resultant correction' in, prescription spectacles must actness suicient tol accomplishY the measured Magniiication"` maybe balanced without, power duced by the bending or cuppingflor shapeffwunction `of theno powerlens.` The more the no power lens is bent orcupped, the greater the V,power must betaken into account. Inl other i `be equivalent to the trial correction with anex-`A j chang'eby placing" ano power bent len's;before i one eye, the required magnification being intron f eye.

magnification if the concave side is towards the power cupped lens unit, but distribute it as desired for best results throughout the various ele- "ments of the spectacle combination, as we select.. to give the best results vin shape and weight of lenses as will Vbedescribed hereinafter.

Referring tothe drawings:. s z

In the right or A lens (Figs. I and II) `the magnification isa function of the distance I from the eye, i. e., the distance from the surface of the cornea of the eye to the point 2, which is the bevel point of the lens, the thickness KKof the lens 3, and thecurvature of .the surfaces 4 and 5 Aof the lens. Y'

The magnification of the left or B lens'system is a function of the distance I, as before, from the eye, the thicknesses 6 and 1 ofthe two units,

the separation B'between'the units,'and the Vsur- I faces 9. I0, II and `I2 of the two units.

I y indicated at I8.'

"ceu No.2- TL25- 0.75%` magnification over all combined with The powers of these two lens systemsare of course, as with prior-artlense's, approximately they algebraic sum of 'their surfaces, or in ac-fj 'cordance with accepted procedure.

' The object of thepair of lenssystems shown is to correct the refractivejor power errors/of the eyes and at the saine time' to equalize the size variations between them, in order that the patientsj visionmaybe'l entirelyl corrected for all* theseerfbrS-z The'inventiorr may, we believe, be best described by gtaking an @actual example of a re fractive correction which we have madeand" fitted.

The following 'the' reading Vof the instrumentation of the refractive test for the right orA eye:

n `S005 degrees l 0.75%;magnication axis 180eA degrees.

The Acells referred toare theujcell'sionjthe test instrument for holding thetestlenses at given' distances from the eyes.

These cells are shown in Figs.v III and IV. No. 1

cell, indicated at I5, isthe 'cell' for the'spherical lenses. No.2 cell, indicated by I6, is the vcell for the'cylinder lenses. Cell No. 3', indicated by I'I,

Ais for a removable protractor device or scale for setting the axis of a power cylinder'or forextra in theV threshold valuesfor therespect've refrac-y tive corrections.

The test thus shows'fo'r the right Yor A 'eye 'a plus 0.37 diopter spherical test lens in Cell No.` 1 before the eyey at a known distance therefrom. Also, 'this eye has a minus 1,00 dioptfer cylindrical test ,lens at axis' 180 degrees inf Cell No. 2, whose positionis known with respect to Cell No. 1. Thenext'cell. No.3, provided 'for in the test instrument.' is Yin this 'case empty;

In our presentv invention, however, .We do not placeall of the magnicationin a single no For the left or B eye, the Cell No. 1 has a plus 0.12 diopter spherical test lens. In.Ce1l No. 2 there isa minus 1.25 diopter cylindrical test lens, axis 5 degrees, and further in front of this is' a size :altering and determining instrumentality which may be considered 'as test lenses for producing size variations which would give the yequivalent of saidfsize altering and determining instrumentality, i. e., a size reading, giving the overall size'and themeridional-size corrections as determined with the methods and instruments described in the above mentioned patents and applications. The present correction is an over- -all sizeV increase for this eye of 0.75 per cent, and

a meridional size inrease of 0.75 per cent, axis 180 degrees. Thiswill equalize the ocular image size diierence between the'two eyes. Y

When the percentage of size is given as 0.75

per cent, this means that theocular image of the respective ,eyes is made larger in the ratio of From these readings it is necessary to calculate and design a'spectaclelens system to produce the effect ofthe trial lens Acorrection set, see Figs. III and IV, before the eyes. A number of various designs can be made to produce this effect. The

lens systems designed for the above readings are shown in the drawings. The surface dioptral powers are in terms of 1.53 index of refraction ground on 1.523 index glass. The reason for this `is that 1.53 index tools are in common use in the art. while the glass actually used in ophthalmic lenses is 1.523 index. 'I'his procedure is general in the art.

For the right or A eye, the front surface 4 ofl the lens is plus l5.50 diopters in the degree me-V ridian and plus 6.50 -diopters in the degree `meridian. The thickness?, is 3.00 millimeters.v

The opposite surface` 5, termed the ocular sui'-,

face,'is minus 6.12 diopters ground 0.06 diopters strong in order to give exact focal power required. The lens is center beveled and the center of this bevel, 2, is placed the distance I, which is A12 millimeters from the cornea C.

For theleft or B eye, the front curve 9 in the 5 .degree meridian is plus 10.50 diopters. In the 95 degree meridian it is plus 11.25 diopters. The

' thickness 'I is 2.00 millimeters.

'I'he second surface I0 from the front has a curvature of minus 9.00 diopters. There follows k an air space 8, which is determined by the third surface II contacting with the second surface rI0 ata 40 millimeter diameter. The power of this surface I I is plus 4.37 diopters. The thickness 6 betweenfsurfaces II and I2 is `1.00 millimeter, and

the'fo-urth or ocular surface I2 has a power of minus 6.00 diopters in the 5 degree meridian and minus 8.00 diopters in the 95 degree meridian.

The units are mounted kin a frame I3 sothat the edges 2 .of the bevels come at 12.00 millimeters from the cornea C. The frame I3 is made of bendable material so that it may be bent to ad- `just the lenses to the required distancefrom the cornea'C. l

Any curved lens of finite dimensions produces magnification because of its position before the eye, its shape, and its power.

Unavoidably, the right lens A must have some magnification, but we have required that the overall magnification ratiobetween the left eye and right eye shall be 1.0075 and that in .the 1 80 degree meridian there is an additional meridional magnification also of ythe ratio 1.0075 between these eyes; in

other words, the magnification in `the 90 degree meridian of the left eye'is .75 per cent greater than in the same meridian of therighteye, e

in the 180 degree'meridian of ,the lefteye it is.. `.'15 per cent plus '.75 percent, or approximately` 1.5 per cent greater thanin the 180 degree merid-` change .of magnification of the ocular. images does, within a certain range," not change appre-` jciably the, magnification ratio between them. In

`This must be kept in mindand described later. I i

' lisation ratio and on the following elements; dis,` tancel fromthe eye, thethicknesses ,Gand` 1, the

`and I2. d

the present case the image of theleft yeye has -to be enlarged1 in order to obtain equality` of ocular image size and shape.v l i Themagniiication for the night eye iAnis afunc-4 ltion of the following elementsedistance I `from the eye, vthe thickness 3"of the lens, and the surface curvatures 4 and 5. 1 i i The lens A, itwii1 be'noted,vwi11 probabiy be.. of a ,different form and shape 4from thetest lenses i Mof ,the` trial correction in the, cells. `Its magnifi-` cation,ntherefore, willbe different fom `the magnication ofthetrial correction in the `A side. provided for as Taking the magnification of the righteyefas'ff given,` the determination vof, the correcte-.spectacle lens iontheoleft eye is more complicated since its `magnification depends on the given magniseparation 8. and the surfacecurvatures $III, II

Increase of the separation 8 increases themagnifcation, increasing the thicknesses and 'l in- 2 Lcreases the magnification, increasing the distance I from` the eye increases the magnicationvin the degreemeridianuvery slightly, because the power `in that meridian isA small, `but thisincrease of` i distance'in the 95 degreeimeridian decreases the i fulfill this requirement. So themagnication of magnification because the power in that meridian is negative.` i .Y i Increasing ,the concavity of the units vtowards theeye, ,keepingthe thicknesses, separations, po"

SitOnS, and power thesame,iincreases the magnification. i i g i c surfacearound theedge of the lens.v This permits YWith reference to,y the positions `of the cells and .the test lenses beforefthe eyes in" testing, l these are placed, as has been previously stated,-.,f

at known distances infront of the eyes and the effect of their own magnicationis computed, and added to the extra magnification required.

As. pointed out above, theytotal magnification d ratiosiof trial correctionand spectacle correctionV must be equivalent, so thatthemagnications dueto dioptric power must be compensated to the two eyes of the trial `correction andthat of thejtwo eyes of the actualwearable lenses must be kept in `mindandcompensated4 to the pre` scriptive requirements. The `magnification 'of `each of the actual wearable lenses may bedifferent from that of the Vcorresponding trial correc- 'tion lenses, vbecause their form is dilferent, but

the magnification ratio between the eyes must be maintained in each meridian and must be suband i in llingthe prescription.

stantially the same as that of the trial correction lenses.`

` '.l'he `distance ofthe lenses from the eye is irnpcrtant,"ihn`ce, theactualwearable lenses must be piaced at a fixes distaneegfrom thefeye.. 1rV

this distance is different from `that of the trialv correction lenses, the difference must be compensated for.

ing the lenses'ofthe drawings we have taken into tion and have balanced the magnicatlons of the two lens systems, one for each eye, sothatthere l, will be enough additionalmagniilcationrbefore t thelefteye B` to equalize the size of` image of the two eyes and make the actual wearable lenses for practicable purposes the equivalent Yof the u trial correction.` ,The magnlcations -fof` both lenses and of the test lenses have been takeninto account and thexwholespectacle system balanced as `required .to obtain the desired equalization It winne noted that neither unit of the left lens Bhas parallel or concentric surfaces. 'I'hemagf-w` niflcationhas beenidistributed through the vari-r"` i fouselements of the lensashas been described i above.

All of the magnification elements disf cussed abovemay enter into the composite result. ,i

In designing ourlenssystexnsfor specified corrective `inagnifications, we work graphically. We

utilizingwell known ray tracing procedures. vIt

is Valso feasible, and for practicable commercial i, purposes l preferable :to i lprepare graphical repre- `sentations ofmagniflcation. d

Magniications andlpowers of givenalenses of givenA thicknesses, separations and position` in relation to the eye may becomputed byknown prior art methods of lens calculations. By plot-` tinga great numberof known lenses of various shapes, thicknesses, `positions and` separations `it and magnicationsand'thus to obtain the surface' curvatures, positions before d the eye, 'thicknesses art of lens designing and manufacture.

In general, the lensesare designed by first keep` e d n d, 4. y ing inmind the best lens systems obtainable for It will benoted that wehave contacted the theleqllilemerlts aS regards appearance, neither two unitsin the left eye B at the marginal points` I4. This gives about half a millimeter bearing` by only selecting desirable lens `forms from the ispossible to select lens units ofdesired powers manyI possible ones i producing approximately i similar optical eiects. With this in mindl and `from our` experience in lenses, weare enabled to` select a desirable form of lens` havingthe qualities necessary adjustments made to insure accuracy The material and tools are selected,

The lenses are then edged tofsize and beveled to ring the points of the bevels 2 'and I4 at thefrei quired clstancexfrom the eye.` .Inthe `Case of the units for lens B,nthe surfaces .I0 and II are marginally finished for a marginal contact at` I4 as .stated above, and` the lens surfaces ground, the lenses Abeing finish ed to the required size'and thicknesses.

which is adjustedby bending as is usual withf frames to bring thepoints 2 and I4 the calculated distances from the eye; The frames with the lenses are carefully tted to the face so that i may follow `conventional trial and errormethods in a=single rim.

" rThe steps in the production of these lenses arez` a carefulf'refraction for 'power as well 'as size the lenses will remain at the'proper distance from the eyes. .l

From the foregoing it will be seen that the finished spectacle will have lenses that not only correct the refractive errors of focus including astigmatism and muscle disturbances, but will also equalize the ocular images of the eyes,v all of the elements ofthelenses having been balanced to give a composite 'correction of the patients vision forpracti'cal purposes equivalent to his4 trial correction. The extraA magnification re- 'quired to equalize thev size impressions has been introduced without changingthe powers of theA lenses.' `In this spectacle all the elements of magnification have been' taken into account, the magnificationv of the'test lenses, the magnification off'the lens" A, the magnification as affected by position, thicknesses, separationsypowe'rand Vshape-all have been balanced and-made up of lenses" that mayr be mounted like single lenses errors, the listing lof known-lens units i`n the practical range, selection of the lens units, the grinding 'ofthe lens units'to the V selected curvaturesy Zand thicknesses, the checking of the lenses for'y Vsubstantial equivalency with the trial lenses, the

rThe important thing to keep constantly in mindaisvthat a power correction will vintroduce some,v magnification, 'and that a magnification-v correctionmay introduce power.l This must be 'with `the magnification in the checked ateach'stage and corrected.` The final test correction must balance all the power and size errors, and the actualwearable' lenses must have the same effect as the test correction lenses the test correction'set." 1

Infsummation; some ofthe principal charac-v teristics of our lenses are:

The wearable lenses have for practicable -purposesfthefefect of' the trial correctionboth in power and magnification. v

The wearable lenses may have different magnifications from the trial correction, but the ratio of magnification must be the same incorresponding meridians.

The magnifications 'of vthe lenseslresult from the magnification effects of all the characteristics controlling vmagnification'as distance-from the eye, thickness -of units, separationsfof units, and curvatures. of surfaces. a

Magnification without ypower is mainly introducedbythe, cupping or concaving of the lens units.A

trial correction-lenses or compensation be made.

, Therequiredthlcknesses and separations must be used and maintained.

Power changes introduce changes of magnifica- "tion andv magnification changes may introduce power ,-cha'nges.V They must be balanced.v

. .Ano power lens which'has :no power at ,onek

at the proper dissame ratio as in V Any form of lens has magnification due to power, form (its shape) and distance from eye,

thicknessand separation of parts. The ratio of themagnications for `the'two eyes in corresponding meridians'has to that of the trial correction lenses. y

The lenses 'are cuppedA or concaved in shape to introducel change 'of magnification without change ofpower. `This enables units fof'less separation.r

lens system', thus aiding appear- 1. The method of making a pair of lens sys-' 5 tems'to correct the power and image size difierence errors ofthe two eyes comprising testing each eye for'its respective power error and for eyes, making a lens system for one eye with the surface curvatures of calculated radii on the sur- Vthe image size difference ratio between the twol tion to obtain the finished power desired with the thickness of the finishedlens lying within th'e itsrs'urfa'ce curvatures such that its shape will be desirable'from the standpoint yof lens design and usual optical lens thickness tolerances and with Y appearance, determining the' total effect of such tance ofthe lens 'from the eye, and making a lens system for the other eye by forming optical surfaces of lcalculatedradii on lens medium of a given inde.. of refraction and reducing lens medium to a given "thickness for a given distance from the eye to'obt'ainr an-y image size change effect with the desired focal power correction for said eye equal to the determined image size change effect introduced by the lens system for "the otherv eye plus an image size change equal' to the said ratio of image size difference between the two eyes'as determined'by the test.

system for one eye formed of lens medium ofagiven indexrof' refraction having 'surface curvatures of'oalculated radii on the surfaces thereof and a thickness vlying vwithin -the usual optical I lens thickness'tolerances and adapted to be positioned at, a given'V distance from `'the eye to obtain the 'finished' power desired` with the" s'ur-VIV face curvatures suchthat their shape willbe desirable'from the standpoint of lens design and appearance and having an inherent image mag- .l "nificationvefect dependent on said shape, lens The ydistance from the eyes must be the required distance, if not there-will -be'a change of magnification. The distance from the eyes of' thelwearable lenses must be the same asfor the I thickness,v and' distance from the eye, and a lens system for the-other eye comprising lens medium of a givenindex of refraction having-optical surlfacesof calculated radii -on the 'surfaces thereofand a controlled. thickness for a given distance 'from theleyev to obtain'l an image size change effect with the desiredfocal power correction for said eye equal to thek magnification effect of the first lens system plus a magnification effect equal to the ratio of imagesize'diiierence between the twoeyes.

ADELBERT AMES, JR. GORDON H. GLIDDON. 

